Bitter Ashes
by MikaMckeena
Summary: Two years have passed since the Winter War ended and left its mark on all who fought in it. Scaring one young heart in the truth of what War is and leaving a longing for someone turned to ash. Yet hes about to come back and no one can guess how or why.
1. Waking to Rain

Bitter Ash  
Prologue-Waking to Rain  
Setting: Two years set after the Winter War, Spring  
Rating: Pg-13 to maybe M depending on what Happens  
Warning: Some bit of OCC on our cannons  
Summary. Two years have gone by sense they won the war, and each move on with their lives while one woman finds her heart missing something and one thought lost wakes up to be alive.

Note: This chapter was Beta Read and Stamped by: TWI-hard kristine101, who rocks to no end! Thanks girly!

I close my eyes and I keep seeing things  
Rainbow waterfalls  
Sunny liquid dreams  
Confusion creeps inside me raining doubt  
Call me call me-The Seatbelts

* * *

His body felt heavy. Had his body ever felt heavy like this? Confusion slowly seeped into his mind and his skin for the moment. Skin? Questions filled in his mind in trying to recall last moments that seemed moments ago to his soul, finding his hands lightly reaching out to pick up a supple feeling in a tingle to the tips of his fingers, letting the texture recall in his mind. It was chilled to his finger tips but it held a type of rough texture in each blade as his senses came, touching his skin a moment as he some how recalled it in his mind in some place long ago. Grass. A type of plant many humans used for their yards… but there were no green things in the Hollow world.

Human?

The word felt ill fitting in his mind as he let his fingertips drift over the edges of this grass. In feeling the coolness to his skin for the moment, was it wet? What might cause it to be wet? As he felt this, he also felt the same wetness hitting his skin, chilling it on contact. What was the word to describe flowing water from the sky? Rain. Feeling it kiss his skin, and a chill as it slide down to hit the earth once more. It evoked something of a hidden memory in his mind he could not recall, but he soon did. Such a feeling on his skin had come from here that first day on meeting.

Did he dare to recall it?

Yet his mind journeyed down the path in seeing her in the moment, of feeling this rain on his hands like that day. Hair cast in a halo of gold, skin pale, like his own if she happened to maybe be standing in the moonlight, and those eyes in such pure heartbreak, with what humans called tears, in her eyes, and tracing down the hollow of her cheeks. Feeling them –for a moment –to land warmly on his hand as he reached out to catch this falling liquid. That first meeting. It had been the first pull he had felt in his once empty heart. In trying to recall the woman's name now in his mind…

Orihime….Inoue…..

It lingered on his lips in a bitter taste as the rain kissed his lips in a simple reminder he was still in this world. Tongue licking out to taste this mortal rain of the human world, to find it salty, like the tears of that girl. He could recall only fractions in his mind. Was he alive?

It made no sense to his mind in the moment of what being alive meant right now! He had turned to ash had he not? Recalling the very particles of him disappearing with each breathe his chest took, as the bounds of them broke down due to the attack and will of that lone man. Yet, he also could recall her eyes looking at him. So pure and untouched by his darken soul, as she said those words to him in a whisper.

"I'm not afraid of you."

Such a simple five words alone had caged his soul, as he simply reached out his hand in those last recalled moments of his life, seeking something beyond his own understanding. The heart? She had also reached out to him, maybe to try and save him from his bitter end, but, he had in that moment let go to fade away into the ash he was and was meant to be. He was far to tainted to truly even come close to the pure heart she had shown him in that moment.

Cracking open a single eye, he blinked as the fading twilight hit his green eyes, it truly was his first time at actually seeing the world. How had he come to be here? Several questions seeped into his mind as something new sounded in his ears.

A beat and thump?

Some kind of rhythmic thump in his chest, beating under the skin and bone that caged it!  
How could this be? His mind racing in the labialization, he knew what it was.

The heart…

Yet, to have a heart meant he had to be living and human. Had he come back life as the beating hit his chest, and breathing in the air as it floated in his lungs a moment in each breathe? Had he come back human? Why was he back? More and more questions seemed to lay on his mind.

Still, his last memories started with that woman, and maybe in finding her might also bring out these answers, of who he was, and how in the world he had come to wake on a rainy spring day.

* * *

Note: First time on this pairing but lets see how it plays out and I am also looking for a beta reader for this story, so if you can help me out a bit I would love you for a life time and make you a anime wallpaper of your choosing if its in my powers!


	2. Learning to Walk

Chapter Two: Meaning of a Name

Warning: Fighting, Humor, romance, OCC-ness, drama, odd moments, hurt/comfort, supernatural

Now Also Beta Read by :Twi-hard Kristine 101

Rating: PG-17

* * *

Weak…

He was pathetic. In not only his body, but also-it seemed-maybe in his mind. To overcome a simple thing of trying to push his front end off the wet grass-for something of chill was now setting, as the dusk was approaching quickly. Yet, he felt as if his body seemed to numb from hours of lying there. He slowly wiggled his fingers and toes just a bit to gain some idea of the control of this fleshy body.

He was weak…

His nerves screamed out as he picked up the smooth but coarse texture of the grass, and the coldness of the rain on his skin. All these sensations hit his mind like a bullet to the brain, as he pondered over where these sensations ended and fleshed began. The now human man-for the moment-drowned in his thoughts, he had to fight back and gain some control of his body. As an Espada, he had a sense of touch, but never to this extreme level, it had been more a shallow sensation if anything close to this energy level. This may be a new form of torture, taken part by any karma he had left from his former Espada days.

"_Why do I live_?" His thoughts becoming more coherent as his senses slowly came back to him, while he moved each of his limp legs to feel and understand the movement of the muscles underneath this pale skin; "_I was killed by__Kurosaki Ichigo, yet, now I am alive and human_?"

Was this a side effect of Aizen using the Hōgyoku much as he did on his Espada? That orb's very power was much unknown to the once Lord of Las Noches, and Ulquiorra himself had pointed that out one day, only to be slashed and nearly killed in questioning his Lord's Orb's very powers. Feeling the twist of grimace about to approach his features, he subconsciously held onto his normal façade of indifference.

He fully spread out his arms and pushed up from the ground so he could sit up at last, letting the human function called breathing fill his lungs a moment as he took in a deep breathe and smelled the living world truly, for what seemed like the first time. Picking up the senses of soggy grass, and something of stone, he cast a glance around him, his vision blurred by droplets of rain falling into his open eyes. He narrowed his eyes to get a better view of his surroundings.

A graveyard?

How had he come to be in a graveyard of all things? Twisting his neck, and letting this-still new to him-skin pull and crease while he turned his head to look around. This place seemed old: from the worn headstones where writing had faded away many years ago to where you couldn't see much with the little light that was not coveted by the dense surrounding trees, to the over-grown stone path, that had more green plants than grey stone visible. Ulquiorra, getting a better sense of his setting, tilted his head slightly in a puzzled way much like a cat would if thinking on an idea it came upon.

After looking around, he was a bit more perplexed but knew he had one more feat to accomplish: standing up.

Pushing more to center his weight, and drawing up his knees, he attempted to plant his bare feet on the grass, he managed a kneel almost, but his body was shaking from this strain and cried out for him to lay down. This would not do at all. He was truly pathetic if he could not even stand as a human. Not letting his legs go limp, he tried to keep intact whatever pride he had left as he again tried to accomplish this simple human act. He slowly firmly planted his weight on his left leg and foot, trying to stand steadily as he followed with his right.

Ulquiorra found himself standing, for the first time, as a human. He looked around once more, gaining a better view of his surroundings. Shivering in the rags of his left over uniform, he was glad that he was not naked-of all things-in a graveyard. Being nude would only add insults to his already wounded pride.

Standing was only part one, now came part two: walking.

Looking down at his pale, bare feet, he wondered about the softness under his feet, but knew in the end, he had no choice but to walk. Easier said then done, as with the first step he only ended up becoming, once more, acquainted with the soft soggy ground, as he crash landed into the earth, and once more and had to restart. his body seemed as weak as a infant, if even that! His mind knew what he had to do, and what he had done for years, but this human body did not, and acted like it was new almost.

"_I will find out why this had happened to me, but my only lead is that woman..."_ Letting his thoughts fuel his need to walk, he got up –with some effort- once again.

Walking slowly, he stiffly he put one foot in front of the other. And only a few more shaky falls later he at last came upon a staircase of sorts, leading down and out of the graveyard. Being this high up also let Ulquiorra see that he had some luck, as the skyline of Karakura Town, basking in the dimming sunset, entered his view. Now to find that Woman…

Thankfully, his senses outside of the human norm lay in place, helping him in seeking out her aura in the ocean of millions in this world. Her presence –like a golden halo- lay a bit more than two miles away from his current position. Yet in feeling her presence he also sensed that some time had passed in her life, as she felt older.

How much time?

If she was alive –and in this world- then Aizen-sama had to have been defeated, or killed, by the shinigami. It left a sort of bitterness in his month, as Ulquiorra licked his lips and frowned a bit more in the very idea his lord having been defeated. But that could only explain why the woman was here and free. If anything she could tell him the outcome of the Winter War, and maybe the other Espada's fates.

Stairs proved to be a game of balance in this body, as he knew he could do them, but his body weight shifting in each step, leaving the man a bit uneasy and lacking in grace. Moving gradually, he had to rest a bit to take deep mouth fill of air a few times, to keep his lungs inflated and this body moving. Breathing was a fault. Eyes still locked to the body of his goal, Ulquiorra kept going until at last his screaming feet touched the level ground, out of the graveyard. He slowly sank down to sit on the last step, so he could rest for a moment.

Emerald green eyes narrowing on the city, still far away, and the woman's position locked into his mind. Two miles may as well be two hundred miles in this weak human form, now called his body! Something of a feeling akin to anger rippled in his soul in being made this way by some god as punishment.

Anger?

When had ever felt this fire now racing through his veins, making him form a fist of his left hand, this burning feeling that the coldness of the rain could not cool?

"_When I fought that boy and he killed me..."_

That had been truly the first time he had ever felt such a strong emotion. He truly had not lost, but he hadn't won, the outcome had been a stalemate if that, even.

Sitting here and looking back at the past would not help Ulquiorra, and he knew it all to well. He once more pushed his body up to stand, and started the track to the woman's position. Casting a long look at the graying skyline, and feeling the last rays of sunset, turning the sky into a dark blue-gray. He thought on how gray this world seemed without the sun to cast light and color on it, almost like Las Noches…

Would she help him or cast him away like trash? Did she have any reason to help the man who had once held her prisoner, and tried to kill her and her friends? A line of these questions seemed to hold refuge in his mind. The idea of seeking the aid of an enemy seemed to only make the former hollow sallow the bitter truth of his distain. Too much was going on for him to let his mind wander like this! He had to keep one simple goal in mind before he could seek out the truth.

He looked down for a moment at the rags of his white uniform, and some how found himself glad covered over certain areas. Walking up to the woman in his full on nudity, and around the town would make him stand out. Humans had a thing about keeping the body covered. Once in the city he might be able to seek out something more to cover his body and also to hide in case the shinigami still lingered in the city. Strangely what stood out the most was that he felt none of them, or the Death-Berry's, and his human friends' auras in this whole town, save the golden aura of the woman.

"_Did the shinigami leave this place in thinking that she was safe due to Aizen being dead or captured_," He thought, licking some of the rainwater off his dry lips. "_and leave her with out a guard in case?_"

Wrinkling his brows and tightening his jaw, deepening his already contestable frown, in only finding more questions, all of which links back to the woman. She's the only one who could even answer any of these questions for him. But for now the very idea of walking though the human town in his weakened state to get to her, was –just the thought- a cause for discomfort.

Holding the air in his chest, for the entire time as he mused over his thoughts caused it to ache, and his lungs to rejoice as his release it in a long sigh. Putting one foot in front of the other, Ulquiorra took the first steps away from the steps leading towards the graveyard to find the woman, and his answers.

At that same moment, said woman was looking back the clock of the bakery she had been working in since high school, smiling, almost sadly at the depressing sight of the rain on the spring day. Still there was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that something was out of place in the world, something that seemed to pull at her heart.

"_I wonder if something is going to happen today_?"

Notes: Well the first real chapter is done if I must say and it took a bit to write if anything. I took my time on this story. Any who, thanks for reading and please, I would love some reviews and feed back!


	3. Moved on?

Chapter Three: Moved on?

Warning: Fighting, Humor, romance, OCCness, drama, odd moments, hurt/comfort, supernatural, emo moments

Songs: Best of you-Foo Fighters

Rating: PG-17

* * *

Orihime smiled lightly as the seconds of the clock filled the empty shop for the moment as the scents of fresh bread lightly tickled her nose as she only inhaled profoundly of the homey scent. It was one of the things she had come to love working in this place the last three years. It smelled like a home might have with a mother in the kitchen. Not that she might know of that idea or sort of life that left the youthful woman feeling the tides of sadness for the moment.

An idea of home was still some what of a mystery to her she had yet to figure out al these years after her brother had passed away while she still just on the edge of growing up. Thrust into the world almost alone once more after the death of their parents she herself had only been three years old with only a memory of a woman humming at night and a deep laugh of a male shadows she knew was her father lost some place in memories.

"_This weather is not helping my mood huh?_" She lazy thought for the moment, cheek lightly placed on her open left hand as strands of gold fell from her pony tail at the nap of her neck. "_It's been raining for a week now. When it is really going to spring?_"

She had come to love the new green life of spring each year when winter lost its grip on the lands and once more pulled away. You might think there was little sort of life in the city but with the return of birds come home from long flights and the trees budding in the walk ways you got the feelings of nature. Adding in the romance also coming in with the young souls seeking out their other side of soul?

Orihime for the moment felt that once more echo in her heart of what might be called loneness. Many of her friends and school mates had moved away for collage or their own personal reasons slowly after high school. Its not like she didn't keep close with her good friends still but some how with out them around in days like this it felt like she was sinking in some place in the world. Everyone was living so why not her?

Speaking of friends…..

Flipping open her phone the young woman smiled just a bit brighter in the messages from her friends that some how had spread all over the world. Tatsuki was going to collage in London of all places which had come a bit of shock to class mates but the young girl had wanted to see the world a bit more so a way she had gone. Chado (Sado) had gone back to Spain for a while to help out his uncle who was going through a bit of a cancer scare but he was planning on coming back this summer for a month or two and maybe looking at schools himself in Tokyo. Now Ichigo was following in his fathers foot steps a bit in being a doctor going to school in Kyoto but he was still unsure of which area to hit so he was going for a nurse for now, the idea of the very male shinigami/human as a nurse was a good joke to many but he seemed to like the idea and was doing well in his classes. Ishida was helping in his fathers own company and going to school part time and often met with her on bi-weekly for coffee.

Yep everyone had moved on from that event nicely and slowly forged new paths but it seems she was not. Orihime for the moment felt that ache in her chest as some kind of lead weight and took a shaky breathe to slow down her heart beat racing in thinking back to the events just three years ago. Three years to some might be enough to move on and heal but some how her soul felt broken and shattered.

"Orihime-chan?"

The slightly deep voice broke the girl from memory's lanes for the moment to look back on Mr. Ito, her boss and owner of the bakery. Light grey touched his blacken hair for the moment to make him look older but the man was only 35! He had come to blame it on his twin daughters age six for this grey.

"Hai !" she smiled brightly, flipping back the locks of golden hair for the moment. "Not much is going on sir!"

He smiled in seeing the bright girl shine even in this grey spring, "Orihime, why don't you head home early today, I plan on closing a bit early today. Kana just texted me the girls just got into some super glue and they need papa home or Kana might just be driven up a new wall."

Eyeing the man, she only nodded and smile "Hai Sir! Just call me if you need me to watch those two again any time!"

Chuckling at the bubbling like aura of the young woman he only nodded and headed to the back to clean up and head his own ways home. _"That girl was a god send to me these years, thankfully the twins love her as much as we do. Wonder why a lucky man has not shown up on a white horse to steal away that princess all these years?_"

Counting out the till and placing it back in the safe in the back of the store like always with the off key humming of her boss acting a warm good bye, she went to grab her simple leather jacket a gift from Tatsuki from London and her bright blue umbrella to fend off the rains. Casting back a glance at the shop, she felt a trigger of regret leaving it like always in knowing there was no one to greet her at home on such grey days.

Still as she walked for the moment, part of her felt that this day off some how she could not form into words. Its not like the hollows had been coming in numbers after the Winter War and the local shinigami was handling them well. Sure now and then she would step out side the human life and use her powers to kill a few of them if they increased but she also knew one thing that had come to keep a leash on her life.

Soul Society was watching her.

It had gone un said but Urahara -san had come to say it in so many words to her and the others after the Winter War and that man had come into their lives. Perhaps it was also why many of them had left Karakura town like they had to escape the shorting leash the heavens had tried to cast on the sub-shinigami and his allies and friends. Yet she could not leave this place for some reason, feeling that old wound in her heart ache a bit.

"Why does it feel like some thing went un said or done?"

Turning back to her block to her apartments but a cat running out from no where as it yowled in the sharp bang of cans hitting the concrete woke the woman from her daydreams. Jumping back a moment as the furry thing flew past her into a ally way. Grey eyes turning for the moment to the ally way and sensing something out of the normal. Eyes trying to make out a shape of some kind in a dirty blanket made her take a step back but curiosity got her more and more also the need to heal and add pulling her body and soul all the more.

"Um Hello?" she asked, whispering it into the rains. "Are you hurt?"

It moved a moment as a deep breathe conformed it was male and human at least as who ever it was sought to push up from the wet ground for the moment. Then as the blanket moved from the head Orihime felt her heart stop as her breathe stilled in her lungs for the moment in seeing those green eyes that had come to haunt her in dreams night in and out.

"Woman…"

That calm tone hit every nerve in her body as she pushed away to lean on the wall oppose of the man and knowing fully who it was just by eyes and voice alone as ashen hair fell on pale skin of a light pigment. Feeling the rain come to kiss her skin all the more as his eyes locked on her ashen ones and she whispered his name like it was sin to even say it out load.

" Ulquiorra….."

* * *

Note: Ah not the best chapter I would say but I wanted to get things moving a bit in the meetings of these two and so it will get a lot better, but you need a go between at times to get a story going huh? Personally I love the last part! Well please review and also looking for a_ beta reader still! _


	4. Awkward Meeting

Chapter Four: Awkward Meeting

Warning: Fighting, Humor, romance, OCCness, drama, odd moments, hurt/comfort, supernatural, emo moments, sexual thoughts

Songs: Dig by Incubus, Stone Sour - Bother

Rating: PG-17

Memories…

Floods of those memories and that place haunted her mind in moments of seeing one of the pillars and triggers of these haunting nightmares that now threaten to engulf her soul on the spot as hands dug into the wall she leaned on. Scarping her nails on the grey stone for the moment as the ache laced her soft finger tips as those eyes peered at the woman from under ashen locks. Both locket maybe for moments to hours to both as only the sounds of the rain falling hit the ground and echoed them a cage of memories.

Part of her wanted to run and leave in seeing his once more, always those jade eyes had burned some place into her heart of that place. That hell she chosen to step into just to save her friends and her weakness used against her to cast out a net to temp those friends to come to her aid and many had paid a bloody price for her one choice those few years ago. Chest rising and falling as her body fought to flee also so much like the wounded animal she was but also it was something about those eyes that kept her from running, something more maybe peeking in hidden depths.

This man…

Orihime looked away for a moment and glanced at the side walk that no one of a normal idea would be walking in this type of setting yet looking back her eyes lightly opened a touch wider. He had passed out? Seeing his chest framed by the rags of his notable uniform and the blanket he had used as a clock of sorts shone there was some slightly color to the once parch white skin. Then more of the shock in looking at his chest also said the truest statement to the once captive.

"_His hollow hole is gone over his heart? Also so is his number Four tattoo?"_ Her mind whispered as azure eyes for the moment casting back and forth on where both had once laded on the flesh. Something of a faded shallow scar lay over his heart once empty. "_What happened to him? Is he human now?"_

Casting out her senses just a touch as taught, she found his aura to very normal to that a normal human if any ever born. Looking down more over his body to see if anything of the once Espada remained was the only hint of his uniform but seeing the man's torn and bleeding feet even made her wince in . Fighting the urge to cast some cowards glance at his face, Orihime knew she had too to look just to make sure none of this was some illusion.

His sharp eyes now lay closed as the filter daylight cast a hint of shadows over his high cheek bones framed in ashen locks roughly cast out. The once tear lines on his skin where faded and looked old but still remained as a remember of who and what this man had once been back in the years yet no mask also lay on his features nor to crown his head. There was something also pristine looking about the young male even she could not place but it lingered on the air around him, Maybe a fine line also that he did seem almost doll like if not for that same line that filtered there was something very male in his lanky built and a sense of underplaying danger he once held over her. Ulquiorra also did not look fully Japanese from the slight wide touch to his eyes but what else lay in him?

What cast out her looking was the ragged breathe he took in informing her he was sick or hurt. "_What a fool I am! Here I am day dreaming and I am letting him lay out in the open and cold_!"

Still before moving, the question was it safe to even touch him and even bring this man into house? In his current state, Orihime knew she could easily use her powers to protect herself from him if was now truly human as it seemed and looked to her eyes and senses. Add in the need to always help those who needed to be healed has long ago burned itself into very core of who the woman was no matter who or what they had once been. Pulling the leather jacket tighter around her body and glad she had chosen jeans today did help to chase away the cold.

"Thankfully I am on the first floor this time, if it was my old place I might have had to call for help…" muttering under lips while chewing on the lower one in nerves. "Ok Orihime lets see if working in the bakery has paided off in some upper body growth!"

Walking to the sleeping male made her stiffen in knowing she had to touch him as one finger lightly went out to make contact with his cheek. Ulquiorra's flesh was chilled from the dampness and even wet but there was that all too human warmth under the pale flesh. Pulling out the pent up breathe also added to the tension air of this meeting. Swallowing a bit before moving to phase two, she knelt down to work an arm under his left side and pulled his right over her own shoulders. Also more then glad she had taken up running these years to keep in shape helped in the leg strength for the next few feet of getting him home.

Moving to standing, she blinked in how light he felt to her also, noting how his ribs shown as the cloth moved from the position. Had he eaten? How long had he been human? Nothing of these questions was going to answer till Ulquiorra woke up. So something in a half drags and walking with nothing but dead weight did not help but Orihime did make it to her door and all the more glad she had left it unlocked this morning.

Wincing a bit in finding it odd trying not to drop the former Espada to even open the door, "He's really passed out cold…"

Her knew home was smaller then her last and a bit cheaper with the futon still out from this morning. It was not like a lot of people came to apartment these days sadly. Orihime made it the last few feet to lay the man down on her bed and quickly shut the door and turned the heat up to chase away the chill of the rainy air. Huffing from the walk, she pushed away the golden locks of bangs to look back at the man to see still out.

"I got to get those wet cloths off of him…" blushing in the shocking fact for the first time she had to undress a man and it was one who had held her caged. "This seems it should be out of a shoujo manga!"

Words of a nerves laugh only added in the increasing tense moment for the woman, gulping down the air of the room and pulling off her own shoes and reaching into the drawers to pull out a simple baby blue t-shirt and a pair of old jeans a bit big. Getting into some dry cloths might help her nerves in looking down and seeing how her cloths looked more painted on with the outline of her bra lines pushing out. Giggling as the mental images hit her mind, maybe she had been reading to many romance novels again?

Changing in moments, Orihime breathed on her hands to warm them as she padded over to the still sleeping man but he seemed to shivering. His chest rose and fell to own rhythm for the moment as he seemed also child like in sleeping with out the platonic expression on his face he once masked. Lightly pulling away the wet blanket, her eyes noted how torn his uniform was but had it been from a recent fight? Shaking her head a bit in finding no wounds save those on his poor bare feet. It was odd to pull away the jacket and she lightly noted it was old looking, as if years had passed on it but how? Nothing was making sense right now but there one was big problem Orihime did not.

Ulquiorra had no type of underwear on under his pants. Had Aizen made them not have any on?

Gulping down the air and placing the jacket on the side, she was about to see a naked man? Blushing a crimson on her cheeks to reach her ears made the healer want to run away. She had never seen a naked man less much even touch a man!

"I need a blanket! I can over him with it and pull down his pants with out looking! Easy right Prhime!" Muttering as she ran to the closet out to pull out a blanket covered with bunnies and moons. "You can do this! Be a man or ah woman!"

Placing the blanket over his body, she licked her parched lips and moved to reach under the blanket and feel the edge of his pants. Closing her eyes she yanked and pulled them down over his lanky legs and felt the heat of his skin, blushing all the more in what she might see if the blanket slipped! Standing up, she peeked open an eye to see herself holding the pants and letting out the pensive air in her chest. Adding n the luck the blanket had thankfully moved about an inch or two! Seeing the bare chest and frame of the passed out Espada now human made the woman feel out of place in her own home.

"_I have a naked guy in my bed…"_

Gentle putting the pants with the jacket, Orihime now had no idea on what to do with the man. Did she call Urahara-sun? What would he do and or would his contact the shinigami? What would they do to this helpless man now passed out and sleeping like a child in her bed? Why had he also found her? Shaking her head and thinking it might be better to weight till she could talk to Ulquiorra on everything that had come to this point. Casting a worried gaze at the sleeping man and once more looking out the window in thoughts floating by.

Unknown to her, his breath deepened a moment in feeling the chill leaving his skin and picking up the scent of honey close by. Eyes blinking a moment in the shadows with out a light on to see a blurry figure of a female of some kind. Then came a gentle touch to his forehead as the heat strike like lighting in the pure contact of flesh, trying to place in where he had felt this life before. Trying to cast a glance at who this was as his mind was once more pulled back into the darkness of unconscious with the words chasing his mind.

"You're safe…"

Notes: Well one more slow type of chapter in Hime finding Mr Emo but I thought it would be a good one to show a few things. I mean how would you feel in finding someone you thought dead? Also some light humor of a naked guy in our poor girls place! Hah! And I know a little occ maybe for some taste of people but its been a few years so all kids got to grow up and I do not think Hime would be as child like as sometimes shown in the anime/manga after living after the Winter War.

Looking for Beta still! You want to help me, just message me on here!


	5. Scents of Honey

Chapter Four: Scents of Honey

Warning: Fighting, Humor, romance, OCCness, drama, odd moments, hurt/comfort, supernatural, emo moments, sexual thoughts

Songs: Born to Bleed-Rise Against, 45-Shinedown

Rating: PG-17

* * *

So...  
Shed some light on me  
And hold me up in disbelief  
And shed some light on me

Shed Some Light-Shinedown

He could feel something of warmth on his cold skin for the moment as his chest rose and fell and tasting the damp air any more that he had passed out in. Feeling the nerves of his skin for the moment feeling something soft around his body to keep warmth. What was it? What happened to him again? Shifting a bit to get of a feeling of this soft thing cocooned around his body for the moment as the mind tried to place all the memories in order.

Skin was a strange thing to the now human for the moment as his mind still had yet to get to use to the sensations of even having it. Ulquiorra for the moment let his mind fill out the blanks as to what had happened after leaving the grave yard. Feeling the moment it also might be good to open his eyes and get some idea of where and maybe the who that had brought him here. To his understanding humans where shallow creatures and the idea that one might have helped the Espada brought many warnings to his soul. With out his powers he was helpless and lack of knowledge of the living world.

Blinking a moment as his eyes lightly cracked open, no source of light of the natural kind or that of the artificial filled the room. It did not help also in waking he could feel how weak his body felt from the trek in search for the woman of all humans in this city. Remembering the aching cold that sank pass his flesh to his marrow and how the walk had torn open the souls of his feet to make even walking some form of new torture. No wonder humans used shoes to cover their feet; maybe these creatures had some brains after all,

"_Where am I?"_ He asked only in his mind, blinking to clear sleep away. "_Or is it I even got here and maybe the who is better asked_."

Ulquiorra looked down to see he was under a blanket covered in moons and bunnies and raised an eye brow at the childish design of the thing. Lightly pulled it up he also found his torn uniform to be gone, a bit to gone for his taste as he licked his lips.

"_They also must have undressed me…." _Thinking darkly he was naked in some unknown place and also some unknown person had touched his body while he had passed out.

Shifting a bit to roll onto his back to find only a white basic ceiling as some light from the outside peeked out from a street lamp. His senses cast out as he took a deep breathe to lightly scent something a sweet like scent in the air and something of a faint honey but more alive as he tasted the air like animal for the moment. Turning his head lightly to listen to light pounding of rain hitting the window for the moment and the ticking of a clock of some kind then he picked up the faint exhale of a person. Jade eyes narrows for the moment as it sounded female as he cast his aura a bit to pick up the energy and took to chance to slowly pull himself up on his elbows.

A slim out line of a woman met his gaze as a halo of golden locks spread out like some geisha's fan to his eyes in seeing how striking the color was in the white setting of the room. Who was this woman? Sniffing the air a bit more to place the scent, as it richly filled his nose to travel and sweeten his cheeks and tongue a moment like a sinful treat. It taste pure to him for the moment as Ulquiorra tired to place it all the more in his memory as for the first time he had truly

Grey eyes full of a pure heart had come to burn into his mind for the moment as the former hollow blinked in placing the scent in his mind and memory. Had she found him? Could it be the woman? Cocking his head to with out knowing reach out to touch the silken strands and feel out her aura of gold for the moment that shone in his mind like some holy sun. Feeling the softness of the locks crept a strange twitch in his hands in feeling something so supple for the first in his life. Lightly with out knowing it gentle rubbing the strands between his finger tips to get of the idea of the texture. Hearing her softly whisper something brought the man away from this new sensation of the human body to pull away.

"Hmmm, no I don't want the cake Mr. Bacon…" Orihime came to mutter in her dreams to turn and shift her body so her sleeping face came to come in the diction of Ulquiorra. "Add in some butter for Miss. Kitty…..and fish…."

Seeing those full lips lightly move made the man freeze in hearing the song of her voice for the first as if truly for the first time. Picking on the light hums as she whispers in her dreams thing he could not pick up she sounded different as if her voice was fuller some how to him. Narrowing his eyes for the moment all the blanks lay in his time in passing out. All he could recall was the scent of honey being his path and her aura to the woman.

"_She brought me to her home and in knowing who I am…"_ his inner voice tried to fraction any reasons why. "_Why_?"

He could not fathom any more as exhalation once hit his new body to force the very to naked man to lay down as sleep begged him to slip back into unconscious. Casting a look over at the female he signed once more to taste the honey scent she gave off and some how found it composing to his mind as Ulquiorra closed his eyes for the first time in choice and slept on till the mornings birds call out of spring and the buzz of a machine in the kitchen also called out.

Eyes blinked once more in the light of day as the pink curtains still held some of it back, casting out a gentle light to wake too for the moment. He came to once more to sit up and using his back hands to lightly rub his eyes for the moment in waking. Questions of the events still trying to form in a sleepy mind even for him.

"Oh your up!" a bit of a too cheery voice made the former number four turn to find its source. "Um wait there a moment while I get you a robe! Can't have you walking around naked in my apartment!"

The woman?

Watching her already in a white blouse with a tank top and jeans to match as she nearly bounced to the bathroom and pulled out a black silk robe. Thankfully it was long enough just to make its way to his knees as Ulquiorra found it covering his legs. Eyes never leaving the Orihime with more of a strange look tiding over his face as she only smiled at him with no scent of fear at all. Truly she was a strange human in all odds and ends Ull had ever come on in his days so far.

"Um, I hope you like eggs…I'll turn my back so you can get up and put the robe on! Don't worry I won't peek at all!" She smiled out, turning her back.

"_Why do I care if she peeks_?" He thought dryly, knowing full well she was the one who had undressed him. Humans where strange when it came to the form of the naked body and nudity.

Stranding up, he grabbed the garment and pull it over his lean shoulders and chest so it fit a bit struggle like over his body but it did cover below the belt. Relishing in how the silk touched his skin as he shudder a bit in the nerves of his body feeding his mind. Ulquiorra took a deep breathe to pick up the honey scent of the woman all over the robe and found it pleasing.

Casting a look as her back was to him. Normally you did not turn your back to a foe if you did not trust them but she had always been a bit open in her body for his taste. It had cast the man a lot of discomfort back in those days as he slowly took a step on his feet and looked down to find them bandage. Not only had she taken him to her home and also had healed him to some order? He felt a bit of a discomfit more of this human as a feeling of maybe gratitude lingered in his heart.

"Ulquiorra-san?"

Her voice made his emerald eyes come to leave on her own grey as concern moved in the hidden depths, head titled a bit with a slight smile to him. "Are you ok? Do you need anything?"

It was a very open statement in which gave him the opening he needed to ask her a few things.

"Why did you save me woman in knowing full well who I am and what I did you and your friends?" was blunt, keeping his tone low and calm.

Orihime blinked a moment and let down the bowl of eggs she had been mixing, pulling up the stool a bit to sit down and think. Man did he not know how to try small talk at least and maybe thanks might be nice for saving the man's life!

"I can not leave someone hurt or in pain, its never been in my nature too. As for why…" she said, tapping her lips in thought. "Well you're not my enemy now are you? I mean the War ended and Aizen is captured…so I guess we aren't fighting anymore."

Her logic made some even sense as the man stood there for the moment, replaying out her words.

"Your also seem to be human now and why are you human Ulquiorra? What happened to you?"

Now that was a question he had wanted to ask and Inoue watch a light play of emotions hit his mask and shatter it. Was he scared maybe? The thought of one of the Aizen most powerful creations scared made the female feel a bit offish herself in knowing full well this was a out of place moment for both the human and hollow.

"I do not know. I woke like this last night in a grave yard."

Orihime blinked in this detriment of a answer as she smiled in a tight expression. So he was as lost as she in this event playing. Over looking the now human Ulquiorra and felt a bit of pity as he looked like a lost boy with out his place in the world. Had he ever looked so confused to her back then? Only in the moment of his death as she saw the heart of the hollow turn to ashes before her two years ago.

"How about we eat first and then let's think and figure things out!"

* * *

Note: Well Ulquiorra woke up and the first true talks have start! More of the mystery of how he came to be still lingers in the air and what's Orihime to do with him? The building and budding drama has started! Anyways thanks for reading and reviews are loved with good feed back! Also still gunning for a beta reader! And big thanks to also those favoring my story! Means a lot!


	6. Taste and Touch

Chapter Six: Taste and Touch

Warning: Fighting, Humor, romance, OCCness, drama, odd moments, hurt/comfort, supernatural, emo moments, sexual thoughts

Songs: Ordinary World-Red, Hold On To What You Believe-Mumford & Sons

Rating: PG-17

* * *

And I won't cry for yesterday there's an ordinary world somehow I have to find  
And as I try to make my way to the ordinary world I will learn to survive  
Every world is my world (I will learn to survive)  
Any world is my world (I will learn to survive)  
Any world is my world, every world is our world, every world

Ordinary World-Red

"_Did hollows eat human food_?" Orihime thought for the moment cast a look at the naked man in her favorite black robe for the moment, mixing the eggs. Seeing how he seemed to just look around the room and even glance at the books she had. "Maybe I should ask him? Would it be rude?"

Ulquiorra at the moment did feel the woman looking at him now and then but choose to ignore for the moment. Humans often did this when thinking about asking something or where of the nerves breed which he knew the woman was not. Finding it odd also she was now going to feed him and treating as if he was "normal" and "human". It made him feel nerves in his own right at her changing nature as it had been back in Hueco Mundo.

Had she not hated him? Even recalling her actions back in the hollow world made his brows winkle a bit in pulling out a book on host stories. Feeing out the flat cover with his finger tips a bit, lightly only taking in this sense of touch. It seemed skin could feel out much in this world as Ulquiorra face shown and slipped into a strange child like look in running more finger tips over the book and reaching out to touch the book shelf and finding it smoother and slightly cold. This was wonderment to him as his mind tried to place the new nerves in his body.

Yet Inoue also watched the strange expiations of the former hollow and blinked as it seemed also child like how he was moving about her place and touching things, as in a glee but now and then looking scared. Ulquiorra would reach out to touch things, pulling back his hands only as if he was burned but would return to his exploring of this space. It was child like as if this was his first time even feeing things. Was it? Her own grey eyes watched with a small smile now gracing her lips.

"Um Ulquiorra-san?" She asked him, trying not to laugh a bit but a short giggle hit her lips a bit, smiling brighter at the jaded eye man. "Food should be done, I made scrambled eggs and some toast if that's ok?"

Turning he had stopped his touching exploration to cast a stone look at his host; "Yes, what ever you think is good for a human to eat woman."

Shaking her head to make the gold waves of her hair move, she still smiled in his habits of calling her woman. Still having her once capture now in her apartment and eating her food she was cooking was a twist even the great Kami may have not seen coming at all in her strange play of life. Orihime could still only smile a bit softer as the events still needed to play out.

He made a move to sit on the bar stool as something of a yellow mass was placed in front of him, a strange smell hit his nose as he blinked in how his human body groaned from his lower area. Was this human hunger? Casting a glance as the toast was also added in with butter and sniffed the food once more and watched the female eating it happily and looking a bit off. Did food make humans happy? Taking his own fork and lightly even poking it was a quailed look.

"What is this called woman?" He asked

"Scrambled eggs and toast Ulquiorra-san! Its really good and your body sounds like it needs the food!" Orihime smiled, eating her own food.

Placing some of these eggs on his fork, he eyed a moment and placed this so called human food in his month. Feeling out the strangest texture ever to cross his month for the moment, lightly running his tongue over the mass called food in this world. Yet it was the sense of taste that stole away the Espada breathe a moment. Something of a strange hybrid of light salt and a sharp sense of spice mixed to set the month of the man to a heaven. All this just from one bite yet soon to be followed till the plate was empty of these scammed eggs made by the woman.

Watching the play of that child like wonderment that made Inoue soften a bit and smile in seeing the former foe eat for the first time. It was like watching a new born baby really seeing their world and feeling it for the first time and Ulquiorra was much like this in the human body. Still it was the question of how he was like this that bothered her mind in eating her own basics food.

"Ulquiorra-san ? "

Eyes glanced up a moment to focus on her face; "Yes?"

"What is the very last thing you remember before waking up as a human?" She gentle pushed, hoping it might lead to a clue of some kind for both of them.

Setting down the fork on the empty plate, his finger tips traced over the smooth porcelain as much as he had done around the room. Circling to feel the designs on the outside and tracing over the tiny flowers in his own thoughts.

"Nothing after the battle with Kurosaki Ichigo and you reaching out to me and fading away. Only to wake up in a human grave yard and seeking you out, there is not much to say on these events for now Woman." Ulquiorra said, feeling a bitter taste in his month. "So as you humans say, dead end."

Orhime bite her lower lip for the moment in her own thoughts but still having the very naked man in her kitchen did make the woman blush if you added in the robe. _"I should get him some cloths of some kind at least for today and take him shopping on Monday when I get paid for a few things. I can not just turn him out in a world he has no idea on in his birthday suit_."

He could only watch the woman move about to pick his plate up and place it in the sink with her own to do later yet still something of his own questions needed some kind of feed back in the truth of her actions even more.

"Why have you not connected or called the shinigami or any of your human friends on me woman?" He bluntly said.

Some how she had a feeling he had been yearning to ask her sense coming to his senses. Slowly turning off the water to leave the plates and pots to soak for the moment as she healer for the moment in truth was and had been thinking the same thing sense finding the man at her door last night. It would make more sense to both of them if she had called Ichigo or Urahara- san about her find the hollow now human in this state. He had come into her life and ruined and also nearly killed her friends and added in nearly in the end of the world but still why? Orihime felt a complex of thoughts fill her mind and soul as she knew the answer in truth.

Ulquiorra felt her aura shift for the moment as he saw a bit of trail of thoughts move on her face as she bit down on her lower full lip. It was a habit he had come to note back in Hueco Mundo when he had taken her those weeks. Only did he now stay seated and knew full on well he was on her mercy in anything she did from this point. Lightly coming to grasp his own hands as the nerves of a bitter truth now lay open to him, she held his very life and exists in her actions as he did her back then and what would she do now with him?

It was a tens moment for both of them for the moment as the clock tick and the rain lightly hit the window in a beat of nature older then both of the humans. Orihime only could state at the refection of the man sitting at her bar in the window as a trail of water matched up with the scars on his face. He also for the moment to raise an eye brow as she turned to him with a light smile but sorrow filled at the same time.

"I think everyone should get a second chance no matter what and it seems some how you have been given one Ulquiorra. Who am I in truth to question it? You might think it "human weakness" maybe in my answer but it's the truth and also if I did call them, I know they would take you and most likely kill you before finding out why you are here or even give you a real chance…" Inoue said calmly for the moment, letting the truth fill her words as the man blinked at her for a moment. "That's why…."

Ulquiorra for the moment blinked a few times as her words hit a strange ache in his chest in feeling the truth of her words hit something he had not felt ever in his remember days. Was this mercy? Grateful? His eyes looked down at his hands at they lay tightly clasped in the other from the rush of raw feelings now hitting this all too human body as he said this for the first time in his life.

"Thank you…."

* * *

Note: Been under a lot of stress so this chapter is a bit late for my taste but at least I got it done! Well a bit short for my taste and Ulquiorra is a little Occ I might say but if this is his first time in a human body and feeling things I thought it might fit. Personally even if the Hollows where given human bodies maybe Aizen would keep some of the "human flaws" out like feeling in the skin and some of the emotions so he might also control them better. Also I plan on making Hime a bit more deeper and mature in the story due to what she did go through. So thanks for reading and all the favs I got! And reviews are looooovvvved!


	7. Back and Forth

Chapter Seven: Back and Forth

Warning: Fighting, Humor, romance, OCCness, drama, odd moments, hurt/comfort, supernatural, emo moments, sexual thoughts, none beta reader

Songs: Sixx: A.M. - Skin

Rating: PG-17

* * *

Cause they don't even know you  
All they see is scars  
They don't see the angel  
Living in your heart

Let them find the real you  
Buried deep within  
Let them know with all you've got  
That you are not your skin

Sixx: A.M. – Skin

"Thank You"

Some of the most basic words ever to be formed in any tongue of human language or spoken by any one some place in the world. Yet coming from these cold man, jade eyes cast down in a mix of a lost innocence and fear of showing any sort of emotion. These words meant more maybe to the young woman hearing them as if they where being said for the first time to her. Maybe they where in the truest meaning of a thank you meant.

Orihime could only maybe let the words softly quiver in her ears, his voice barely heard in the whisper of the low tone he often spoke in. This strange turn of his personality was also the shock all the more to the normally doll like man before her. Swallowing a moment to replay his voice and simple expression in her head as she studies him all the more. When had he ever looked so frail and lost? Never in her minds eye or memory back in those days of being a pawn to Aizen. Even in his fights to the last moments with Ichigo, Ulquiorra seemed to be nothing be pure strength in his own right.

"Your welcome…" she whispered, tasting the words on her lips as the licked them. Maybe she was trying to see if you could taste words and sounds.

Ulquiorra for the moment could only find himself looking out the window in questioning these feelings to the woman once more. Was it a side effect of being human once more? Had ever been human? His brows knit together for the moment in this thought of a past long forgotten. Personally he never recalled his hollow days like many of his kind did after Aizen he remade them using the Hogyoku. Yet if he had been hollow then by elimination he had to be human at some point, yes? Letting his chest fill in a moment of long sign as it pushed by his thoughts, he blinked as month opened wide and let in some large amounts of air.

Seeing the normally calm man just yawn out of the blue and watching the strange reaction she smiled a bit in a roll of eyes as he looked at her with more questions of his human body. "It's called a yawn Ulquiorra-san! We humans do it when we are tired or our body needs more air!"

"Yawning?" He asked, touching his chest and thinking more on this new body. Human bodies did so much on their own it was a bit peevish of him. "Humans are strange things, yet your body does so much on its own. You call this instinct yes?"

She blinked a moment in sitting down and smiled once more at the man. He was so lost in this world and now being human seemed to be throwing him for a loop. "Yah you could say that, I mean I can't tell you every thing our bodies do! Just for now let's just say our bodies do things on their own to keep us alive ok?

Knitting his dark brows a bit more in a short answer of the woman made the former Espada try to think of more to ask her but from the light gleam in her eyes he knew it was all he was getting out of the female for now. Still this would make for some research on his own time if he was stuck in this skin for the time being. If Ulquiorra was going to be human he may as well learn as much as he could about his own body. Yet he also knew one thing he would need in the first place outside of food.

"Woman."

"Yes?" Inoue looked up for a moment in his statement "Is something wrong?"

Huffing a bit in a wrinkle of his nose he knew one thing he needed "I need to bath."

This came out a blank to even more blunt statement as she tired to think of something and the answer came in his wrinkling nose. "Oh! Yes! Here let me show you how to use the shower and such!"

Raising an eye brow he frowned lightly as the lines pulled around his month "I know how to use a shower woman, we had them back home. Just I need a towel and some form of clothing outside of this robe. Unless you want me naked in your living room that is Woman?"

Oh now he was smirking at the woman as the image formed in her head and a pink fire bloomed on her cheeks. "NO! Um…."

"_She is still so easy to rile up. That much of age has not changed some things at least in this world_." He thought, smirking even lightly in seeing how her mind was going to a prey like state from his questions. "_For a grown woman she still acts as a human teenager might…_"

Inoue saw the light smirk and blinked in seeing Ulquiorra have a form of a smile! Yet his eyes gleamed like a cat watching a bird in seeing the strong cheek bones and light play on the man's face. If anything even now being human the man was drop dead handsome in some way. Maybe the curve of his jaw or the slight deep set of shadows made you know Ulquiorra was very male.

"I'll go to the shop and grab some sweats for you for now ok? Then in the morning we can go shopping for some cloths and few other things Ulquiorra-san. "Inoue shot back, crossing her arms a bit and thought of something. "Unless you think one of my skirts might look good on you? "

One eye brow shot up and blinked in having a come back from the woman. Seems she had grown a bit more of a back bone also in age. "These sweats sound find woman. I will go and take a shower while you do your shopping but you might want to get something for those wrinkles…"

Blinking a bit in the back and forth of these conversations, she glared at him as he walked away with that small smirk on his lips.

Ulquiorra-1 Hime-0

"_He he just said I got wrinkles! The nerve of that damn man after I pulled him of the street in the rain, cook him food and now he is using my shower and he dares to say I have wrinkles_!" Orihime huffed in her thoughts and hearing the shower turn on in moments. "_Wait, when did Ulquiorra ever get a sense of humor?_"

Tiling her head a moment as the golden hairs lightly fell a moment in thinking back to the odd turn of their talking. Tapping a slender finger to her lips for the moment in the thoughts of seeing him act so normal was a throw off for the healer. Yet this deep thoughts would have to wait, she did need to get him something to have on for now other then the robe.

It was a short trip down the street to a basic cloths store, thankfully sweats where in stock but Orihime tilted her head in the under where part but thought boxers seemed better and grab black pair and blue pair for her well guest for now. "_Thankfully sweats seemed to fit all sizes but he is kinda thin built…hes built a lot like Ichigo in some ways._" Recalling the man's bare chest and how the muscles moved under the pale skin made the woman blush. "Eppppp!"

Coming back, the sounds of the shower ending made her pull out the cloths from the wrapping "Ulquiorra-san, I got you some sweats for now and some boxers to wear till we go shopping in the morning for you."

Ulquiorra heard the woman and with out thinking just walked out into the living room, not even a towel around his waist to cover his full on glory. Inoue's month went dry to see the man walk with a inner grace most humans lacked and all the more comfortable in his own skin as if he knew the effect the former hollow might have on a pair of grey eyes widening.

"Woman, you have no clean towels for me so I will just put on this clothing. "Ulquiorra said, not even caring if he was naked for the moment yet seeing her open and close her mouth shut like a fish made him raise a eye brow and tilt his head. "Woman, is something the matter?"

"GET IN THE BATH ROOM AND PUT ON THE CLOTHS! A MAN SHOULD NOT BE NAKED IN FRONT OF WOMAN UNLESS MARRIED OR THEY ARE DATING!" Orihime screamed and blushed a beat red. "IN NOW!"

Taking a step back from her raised voice and the cloths being shoved into his arms and being shoved into the bathroom with the door slamming left the man blinking for a moment in the actions of the woman. "What is it with humans and their bodies? They act like it's a shame to be covered all the time. I will never understand these humans in this world maybe?"

Inoue blinked, walking over to turn on the cold water and wash her face. "That's the first time I've seen a naked man…."

* * *

Note: Naked emo boy! Poor Inoue, how am going to love torturing her with him like this! Well any who, now chapter Seven is a done with some humor a bit just to soften up the drama that is going to come and the next chapter with Ulquiorra really getting a taste of the human world. Yet maybe someone might stop by to check on our Hime maybe? But whoo? Also big thanks out too: Lolittawork-Libretto for her review! It got me into the mood to write and get this chapter out even if its short for my taste! More reviews are loved and feed back is a must!


	8. First Steps of Humanity

Chapter Eight: First Steps of Humanity

Warning: Fighting, Humor, romance, OCCness, drama, odd moments, hurt/comfort, supernatural, emo moments, sexual thoughts, none beta reader for the moment.

Songs: Anberlin- Paperthin

Rating: PG-17

* * *

Live, I wanna live inspired  
Die, I wanna die for something higher than myself  
Live and die for anyone else  
The more I live I see this life's not about me

Burn Out Brighter (Northern Lights)-Anberlin

A tapestry is being stitched  
story by story,  
step by step, thread by thread

Threads of Her Journey by Raymond A. Foss

Pulling on the gray shirt and sweat pants from their plastic wrapping, he wrinkled his nose in the smell of the wrap a bit. Its scent lingered on the cloths and thus made him smell like the wrapping then himself as he fought the urge to pull them off and tell the woman to air them out for some time. Yet given her reaction to seeing his full on nude form had been worth a good smirk on his ends in the beat red hitting her skin to nearly match her hair a bit more in coloring, the shrieking his pensive ears could do with out.

"_Who thought she could sound so child like in just seeing a naked man before. You might think its her first time.."_ Ulquiorra thought, smirking a bit but the inner words left a bit of a question. "_Has she seen a naked man? She did undress me last night but maybe she did it in the dark and she has many male friends if I recall…_"

Taking a moment to crack open the door to spy on his savior or keeper in some words, Inoue was still blushing a faint pink that edge her cheeks and nose tip as the waves of silken hair moved about with her passing a moment from ridge to sink. Soft sounds of her muttering reached his ears as the words of "man" "cloths" and "thoughtless" seemed to be the main subject of the lines that left him a bit yearning to the means but he shrugged it off as a human or female human thing on her part. There was much he needed to learn about this world and in the twist of fate; she was the only one who could help him for the moment.

Walking out to see her trying to cover up her stress by washing the dishes made him know full well she was still in a tizzy. "Woman, the clothing fits and I have covered up my nudity so you won't faint from it."

Orihime for the moment heard the baritone of his voice echo on the walls and shivered in some how it had changed from the cold steel tuned he once held. There something also husky in the forming of his words that made you wants just to listen to him talk. Captive might be the word used for Ulquiorra's change in tunes to any human ear.

Or had he just used sarcasm twice in one day?

Something must have passed on her face in turning to look at him with a raised eye brow in thought. "_He has been acting out of his boundaries from when I found him last night. Could it be that he is human now and has a human heart?_"

Humans as Ulquiorra had come to understand had many expressions in their facial and also the high use of body language could tell someone much if they read it right. Hollows also where the same way in using body langue due to their mask hide their faces and in seeing the tense shoulders of the woman and how her hands kept moving in the same place showed to him she was in a train of thought along with looking at him with a raised eye brow. More it seemed that they used their eyes also to revile their thoughts in how the light played in her grey eyes. Strongly as the Espada where more human looking then any other hollows, he had come to get use to seeing faces and studying them Grimmjaw once had told the former number 4 he had the best poker face in all of them.

"Woman, if you need to ask me something, ask it. " Ulquiorra said, knowing she was full of questions just for him. "Its better then just staring at me with a blank face."

Blushing in knowing he had read her like an open book, Inoue for the moment washed off the dish and put it to dry. Feeling those sharp jade eyes on her back made her shiver for a moment but he had been right in his statement of her questions.

Licking her lips, she had to ask or point out. "You're acting strange Ulquiorra-san."

"_Strange_?" He thought, narrowing his brows a moment in the reflection of his words and actions the last 24 hours. "_Maybe the woman is right, I am feeling emotions and even trading words with the woman more then I might. Could it be from being human and having a heart now to feel things?_"

This new twist sort of rattled the man for the moment as he took the seat on the kitchen table in knowing he was human now. He had a human heart. He was human and mortal. He was some how alive and breathing. It hit him like a slap to the face that all of this had happen to him. Mostly in having a heart was a type of metaphor if anything to define feelings but it also left him a bit more in his questioning of what a real heart was and how it was going to affect him in this world.

Biting her lips in seeing the change in the startles relation in the man, "_Maybe I shouldn't have said anything to make him aware of the change in him. He looks also scared now…_."

"You are right woman, I have been acting out of what you might call "normal" but Aizen-sama had created me also not to feel anything so I was loyal to him above any of the Espada which he made more human like." Ulquiorra said, softly for the moment in touching his beating heart thumping in his rib cage. "It was you that made me more aware of what was missing in my chest in your showing of your own heart so feel no worry about what is going on with me. Right now we should focus on how I came to be living once more and human."

Hopefully his words might offer some kind of comfort to the female if anything that might settle her thoughts for a few days and Ulquiorra had spoken a good truth in what their main goal should be for a while. Was he had come to be in this world but what could the two do between them? Pulling out if anything his mind went was head for the sources which was the graveyard he woken too.

Huffing a moment, the pastel man let his eyes wonder to the windows "Once the weather is clear and we get me in something more then these garments. We shall head for the graveyard in retracing of my steps and maybe find something of a clue there woman."

His voice was monotone if anything as he was already planning the next step in the coming 24 hours but Ulquiorra was right. Head back to the starting point! Smiling a bit, at least he planned things unlike Ichigo did with just running into battle head on!

Something in the moment of her smile caught his emerald eyes for the moment in how delicate it seemed with her eyes matching in the tune being set. Smiles like that held the world in silence for a moment as if time would stop just to frame it for a moment and it was a smile aimed at him. Had anyone ever smiled at him? Feeling that strange twist in his heart, the former Espada blinked and once more time started up again as the woman came to sit down on the stool once more.

"You're right Ulquiorra-san! Thankfully I also got the day off so we don't have to rush on every thing and take our time in shopping in the morning! I know a few good places with some deals going on right now!" Orihime talked happily in the idea of shopping, she was after all a woman! "We can head out bright and early!"

Ulquiorra only raised an eye brow in how shopping could get the female of the human kind so fluttered and happy. Coming to stare out the window for the moment as a pair of jade eyes reflected back in a face he still getting to re-know that had become his own.

* * *

Note: This one was a bit short for my taste but the next 1 to 2 might be short also before the ball really gets going in the story. Some things have been going on in real life so took a break on writing but once more I am back in the saddle some might say and I hope to update once on a bi-weekly sort. And thanks for all the reviews and hits in the break down of the numbers so far which I will post Also I got a beta at last by the name of TWI-hard kristine!


	9. Uneasy Night

Note: So yes its been a while for a update on this fanfic of mine and I won't be going back and re writing any of the chaps but it felt like a good time to breathe some life into this story once more.

Warning: Cannons will suffer moments of OCCness so get over it if you don't like it.

* * *

Uneasy Night

Weep for yourself, my man,  
You'll never be what is in your heart  
Weep, little lion man,  
You're not as brave as you were at the start

-Little Lion Man

MUMFORD & SONS

The kind old sun will know.  
Think how it wakes the seeds—

Futility by Wilfred Owen

The idea of sleep, of shutting down ones own body for hours at time and to leave a person almost helps to anything did set the man to a feeling of unknown fear to him. Yes, in his time of watching the woman back in the white kingdom he had seen her sleep. Those had been the times Ulquiorra has taken to watching her more, coming to see natures design of humans very much flawed in this need to rest for hours at time. All mortal creatures had to follow this path even if they tried to fight it as the body needed time to heal and repair from the days strain on it.

His kind where nothing like that at all, Hollows needed no sleep or very little rest. If one had time to rest then in moments of closing or shutting down: they would be a snack. Those who had been his foe of the shinigami themselves needed less rest then a normal soul did but they might need it from using their Reiatsu so much for day to day events and even eat much to keep up a level of energy when called for. Now for the first time, the former number Four Espada felt this need to sleep.

Eying the futon on the floor like it was some kind of trap set out just for him with a pillow and blankets to spar. Jade eyes narrowed and darting around to the sounds of a shower being turned on and the voice of the woman humming a song off key with out knowing it fully. Next on the other side of the room a blanket of some kind had been put up to make it two rooms for sleeping for. This in where Orihime was going to sleep in the other futon as the scarlet and blank sheets caught his eye with a raised eyebrow of choice for color she might pick. Most of the room had tones of soft blues and whites with images of natures and friends in white clean frames. Then a now, a drawing of flowers from a human painter he could not name also fell to the wall. If anything the living space had a flare of what humans might call class but the blankets made it out of place.

Jade eyes moved from the room to the rain still moving out side, the storm has blown in from the sea like a monster set of its leash. Winds had hollowed and pulled at the building to make shift and groan in sparks of lighting casting out a roar with the thunder to answer it back. The world moved and living outside the window as it always did with Ulquiorra all the more questing why he was back.

_"Or how I came to be back? The human saying "Too many questions left unsaid" fits the flow of what is happening now._" He thought, arms crossed to his lean chest and feeling cocoon in this clothing she had made him wear.

After something of an awkward dinner with his hostess, very little talk came between the pair. To fill in the silence he cast out, she had turned on a CD full of human smooth jazz with no one singing. Once more her taste in music had caught him in comparing her choice. What he had known of humans, woman seemed to love songs of love or by male idols singing of heart break or love. Having glanced from the speaker to Orihime she had only smiled at him when cleaning in knowing he had a question but would not voice it but went on to explain.

"Uryū got me into after he took me to a Jazz bar in Tokyo for my birthday a few years ago. I loved how it sounded and he burned me his collect of CDS with other things to try. It fits in with the mood of the rain I guess." Inoue cast out a look at the rain, hearing the patter of it on the window. "Also you look like a Jazz guy for someone reason."

To look like something related to a form of music had only made him dryly snort at the woman as he only watched the rain outside. Yes, a normal human might take watching the weather boring but to him it was something new compared to the endless sands of the hollow world and ebony sky of no stars. Nothing change or shifted in that dead world while the human was full of chaos like weather and wind.

Orihime had stepped out from her shower in loose t shirt that hung to her hips and long baggy sleeping pants that hid most of her shape from any male eyes. It was not like she had not slept in the same room with a guy before but this one she had seen in his all naked glory sadly which made her feel nerves in her own skin for the day.

Smiling in seeing him looking out in the weather and looking nearly lost kicked her soft heart, "You must like the rain Ulquiorra-san."

"There was no weather back in Las Noches at all. To see weather here and the rain it is somewhat pleasing." He said back, back to her all the more.

"I remember only the same black sky and moon all the time. It was boring to have things the same all the time. I wondered why Aizen made the fake sky and sun at times…" She trailed off, biting her lip in the memories.

He felt the mood shift, glancing back for the moment but only shrugged, "Gin would complain on not having any sunlight so Aizen gave him the task to make a sun and sky to shut him up and give him something to do for a few weeks at least."

Orihime blinked, a bit perplexed in the reason why but smiled as she moved to sit at the bar and eye the ticking cloak. Time had gone by slow, rolling on. She wanted to talk to her guest more and learn more on what had happen to him. Maybe something in the past held the clue but the push to talk to man of little words was empty in reason.

Putting her arms on the bar, she listened to the jazz and relaxed a bit. Normally a book and cup of hot tea would fill in her evening like this but it would be rude with a guest here but to only make matters worst was how did you act around Ulquiorra? That was the major center of her thoughts in watching the very now human man watching the rain and still looking like some kind of dark prince from a romance novel.

"What is bothering you woman?" Ulquiorra asked, turning those cats like eyes on her with all his focus.

"Wha? What do you mean?" Inoue asked, looking back at him.

Eying her like a doe in the headlights sort, he signed and pushed away from the wall he had been leaning on for some time. Not liking how stiff this human body felt from not moving around too much. "You are bothered by my manifestation here I know this but you also seem to want to ask me something but given the way humans think, you fear I might take insult or find it rude."

Nail on the head.

"He is not human, at least not in his mind yet." She thought, biting her lip from the raw nerves.

"Do you think Aizen did something different to you maybe when he made you with the Orb?" Inoue asked, eyes all on him.

It was a good question from the human female and it had been a thought to weave in his mind he had skipped back and forth on. "In the light of matter, I have no clue. I do know I was one of the first he made using the Orb that met his standers in what in was seeking to create in the Espada. Yet if he had other plans or did something different to me, only Aizen would know. I never asked or questioned anything he did which is why he kept me around and gave me the task he did woman."

"I wished we could ask him or better yet Urahara -san but…."Her voice trailed in shaking her head a no motion, "It would be a bad idea right now if they knew you where here."

Once more, the human woman's thought made him raise a brow in the change of her. Many ways she looked the same to him, but she had changed from the effects of the Winter War and her life to this point. Humans did at times catch him in the grey zone for a moment or two in how they could change and adapted to an event in life. The boy Ichigo was proof of that maybe what had brought Aizen down: the human factor.

"It sort of makes me glad Ichigo-san and the others have moved away at least. Urahara still runs the shop he owns and deals with the Hollows if the local shinigami can't. He's not a bad guy for the most part just a bit knew." Orihime said, looking at the window with a thoughtful gaze.

"Do you not help?' Ulquiorra felt a need to ask, to understand more of what had happen while he had been dead so to speak.

"I can't…"

Puzzlement filled his face for the moments as his eyes narrowed in the toneless replay. Her whole body looked shut down and her eyes looked ready to break in a moment to looking blank. What had happened?

Smiling sadly at him, leaning on the bar and looking outside for the moment to try to hide the pain of her reason from him. "Soul Society sealed my powers after the Winter War… They said they where to dangerous or a human to have and control but I would get them back once I passed on and entered into the Shinigami Academy. "

Shock could not be covered for his mask to be put on in time. Her powers sealed left her helpless mostly for any attack but given how much her aura was still shining out. Soul Society had left many of us human allies with their powers it would seem and evening the living Vizard had been left alone and alive. So why did they fear hers so much? Fear would be the only reason to shut her down like this, or those in power also what might happen if she was more taken into the hands of a foe.

"Are they watching you?" He asked, walking closer also in this note of knowing he might be danger but maybe her for taking him in like this.

"They use too at times, often Matsumoto-sama would visit me or Rukia-chan to check up on me and make sure I was ok and at times I would see the local shinigami in random times when I was out in the town. There were a few times I left Karakura Town on trips and would see a black cat out of the corner of my eyes. So gave up on trying to leaving last year. It likes living in an unseen cage." Orihime admission ended.

Was he not surprised on this action of the shinigami at all? No he was not but he felt a stir of anger or something close to it. Even at his own death, this lone human female had reached out to him out of friendship maybe or pity in the moment. To let her friends also to let this happen made him all the more give into this feeling but he pushed it down to look out the window but he did say something very human to her, his heart beating his chest.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

Writer's notes: So here is Bitter Ashes with a update at least sadly. Not my best so please ride it out with me! This is one of the stories I've always wanted to finish and stuff but every time I would go to write, I got the Block of evil sadly but now I feel its time to keep it going! Thanks to all for reading and leave a review!


	10. Rundown or Runaway

Warning: Cannons will OCCness so get over it.

Rundown or Runaway

* * *

Strictest judge of her own worth, gentlest of man's mind,  
First to follow Truth and last to leave old Truths behind-  
France beloved of every soul that loves its fellow-kind!

France-Rudyard Kipling

It had happen, slipped into over take his body and cages his mind in a blank state. Cutting him off from all other senses of the world and leaving to a weaken state. What might happen if someone had attacked? Or in the odds of him living now: the building caught fire by some Kami's will?! That sour taste of fear pinched into his cheeks as the eyes lay wide and fearing to close incase this thing called sleep over took him. Ulquiorra was uneasy and detached from sleeping, woozy a bit in the light coming in the windows and between the blinds fighting to keep it out just a tad more.

No warning had been in signal to his body or what had happened, just closing his jade eyes for a moment and seeking a center of peace. This human shape he had been modeled into was sore from the events of the walk and the toll it had taken on him given the rain. Humans were creatures of frail nature in many range of germs could kill them or stepping on a random nail and it getting infected. How they had crawled out of the plains from the trees to take over and spread on the earth was a question no one could answer. Hell eve Aizen could not find the end to such a puzzle that he had looked into in his vase age and knowledge.

One thing that also made these moments of waking uneasy was the other living soul who slept in peace still. Vague shadows outline on the sheet hinted at the feminine curve of her body. Oh he was aware of her as much as he had been waking on the grave, that bright gold light flickering in his minds eyes around her. If the woman had never told him of what the shinigami had done, her power looked unsealed but given how strong it was well the shinigami could not hope to steal her all away.

Shinigami tended to ignorance of a shinigami own powers and control of the heavens did two things in power: control it or kill it. Far easier once a human of high power crossed over and could be shaped by them but once a free willed living human had power and the shinigami could not shape them well it made for some uneasy choices. The woman was powerful, goddess like in those powers but controlled by her love and loyal to her friends in choices and the human soul of free will. Even Aizen could not grasp the factor of free will. As hollows, they lost much of that in just trying to live to everyday and shinigami trapped in duty and rules in a binding.

Which is what also brought the young man in a uneasy principle of thoughts of himself in being human. Ulquiorra now had that human free will in choices he could make of his mind and standing. No binding of his life to Aizen on will or whim, the cold like thoughts lost to his mind. Heart beating in a thump thump drummed out in a panic for the moment as his body took to pulling up, arms back to balance.

"I'm free…."

Two words said out load in a harsh whisper to the world of some kind of turning point of a life. Ulquiorra just sat in the futon as the light grew long on the wall and the birds of many songs welcomed the sun once more to the world as they always did. Orihime for the moment kept sleeping, deep and peace with the first time in many moons had no dreams to shake her soul and to wake up in tears. Maybe it was having someone else in the place that brought this peace or maybe just the man himself has a key to change in the atmosphere of the home.

Who could to say for the two of them, both at a cross roads and not even realizing how it was to affect many souls and worlds in the weeks to come.

* * *

Some hours later over what Orihime had made some very normal pancakes for her guest and getting some more cloths from the woman down the street for her new guest, a pair of worn out jeans and a black t-shirt with some ratty grey high tops for him to slip in. It's not like Ulquiorra could walk all of downtown in just sweats and not look like some down played male model given his lean looks and wild grace. Yes something of inhuman was still in the air around the man in how he moved and looked just simply to stand still for a moment minus the breathe leaving his lungs. Minimalist was not the name a watcher could put a finger on it but just knew he would get many a female eyes and looks and some guys depending.

She felt normal and plain next to him, the used cloths of the shirt lightly hugged his cheat in an outline and tease to his lean built as the muscles moved like silk, his ash black hair clean and smooth kept her fingers from twitching just to touch the blue-black stands in the highlights of the sun. Those jade eyes framed in long lash and under lean brow only added to the outline of his high cheeks and sharp chin. Everything of his man was male and pure but the calm and smooth looks he gave the humans walking by him only made him more of a puzzle for a female to want and finger out, even her and she had seen everything.

"Woman, you said we would be shopping for things for my needs and so far all we have done is walk around and you looking at my butt with a focus you normal lack." Ulquiorra baritone voice broke her spell.

Blinking and turning to a rose pink in moments on her cheeks as the healer for the moment blinked and muttered a few phases the Fourth Espada tried to catch in a light tilt of his head nearly dog like with brow raised. Yes, given his smooth and calm look, of the world in his dis-entrancement he was uneasy in being around so many souls at once as the noise of voice and cars with child and music hit his ear drums and made him nearly wish to return to the living space of his only way in town. Clothing wise, the cloths she had gotten him seemed a bit more fitting in lease and light for his body to move in if he had to fight or flee.

Smiling at him in all her uneasy glory, she pointed at a street back way," There's a shop I use all the time that sells top of the line used cloths for a great price!"

Rolling his shoulders in a way, he let her lead with a question or more of a request. "After these cloths shopping is done. I wish to visit a place with books so I can get some research done on the human body and other things woman."

Casting a peek between the stands of her golden hair for the moment, she smiled all the more and trying not to laugh in her mind, "Of course, down the block is a great little bookstore with a coffee shop we can hit! Later this week we can go to the library so you can check out some books all you want."

He narrowed his jade eyes a bit, knowing full well what a library was but a bit spurious at the woman's deductions of his need for knowledge and giving him the steps he would need to fit in better for his own survival in the world. If the shinigami did find out he was back, fitting in was more of his top of the list for now.

Passing between the buildings, the strange pair did get some looks by many a passer by from the wild beauty of the man with his shade of his eyes and the gentle attractiveness of the woman none of them noted as she would pause for the moment to point out things at him as he would ask a passing question. Standing an arm's space to the other, but they lay in a contrast to the other from the dark of hair to the light of energy yet in the difference lay something eye catching.

She would point out things; ask his short questions in details till the two looked lost in the world of the back streets and hidden corners of this place. Light shone from the sky in half cast clouds waltzing in the sky till as the pair walked he blinked in the flashed of light over a window panel of stained glass in a shop of many things and odd ends. It was stained glass of colors and hues of a gentle and loving mother holding a babe in swelter clothing with a crown of light over both their heads. Joyousness love abounded the image caught him in a trap of something he named not in his soul as he only stared in wide eyes at the image of mother and child.

"It's called the Madonna in the English language. It's the image of the Mother Mary and the babe Jesus from the catholic faith. Sometimes she is holding him and in other images the Lady Mary is by herself but always in the grasp of the Holy Light of Heaven." Orihime voice was soft, genteelly pushing into his mind.

Looking back at her, his gaze held a question of how she knew such things. Knowing from his own research that not many those of Japanese background would be into the Religions of the west world and finding such a image in Japan would be a rare turn of things. Yet only seeing her look at the image and bowing her head with eyes closed for a moment in saying or praying. Hands clasped in a gentle hold as he could only watch a moment of peace come over her in her lips saying something he had never heard:

"Je vous salue, Marie, pleine de grâce.  
Le Seigneur est avec vous.  
Vous êtes bénie entre toutes les femmes,  
et Jésus, le fruit de vos entrailles, est béni.  
Sainte Marie, Mère de Dieu,  
Priez pour nous, pauvres pécheurs,  
maintenant et à l'heure de notre mort.  
Amen"

It was a tongue he had never heard in his life, mind and ears trying to place the words in the flow of poem like form in his mind but not in anything he could place and all the more coming from the gentle human healer as she did a cross like touch from her forehead to her chest and shoulder to shoulder. Orihime then looked away from the image to the guest with a sorrowful smiled and eyes hazed over. "My mother was French which is why my coloring is different from other people her and she was Catholic so when I was young and could remember she would take me to Church with her."

Ulquiorra could remember her in her cage back in Las Noches of at times praying in a strange but musical tongue out the window when the moon would shine over her in a ghost like light. He had not cared back then of what she did but now with his human heart and curiosity nature he wanted to know more on this world and his only ally in it. "Why do you pray? What reason is for it to give words to an un-seen god?"

"Comfort. Faith. Love. Human have a lot of reasons and each of them different Ulquiorra-san. I was raised with two faiths of Catholics and Shinto and yes even after all that's happen with Soul Society and the shinigami and everything I still also have faith in God. But my mother also prayed to the Lady Mary everyday and when I lost her, I looked to the Mother Mary for love and protection which every mother does. "Inoue voice was soft; to many feelings in it she wished not to show him in her eyes on the image.

Humans had faith in many things. He did not push for any more questions from her as her gentle penance felt peaceful to his senses. Faith could bring peace to the human soul in life and death, but it was never something he had looked into back in his days as hollows or under the ownership of Aizen. To have no proof of any kind but to believe in an unseen deity was un-nerving to his mind to fit and place for now. Learning to be human was enough to break any man at this point and for now he would leave it alone but he not dismisses that something was there in the image of the Maiden and her Savior son.

Inoue looked at the composed man, _"It rattles his cage a bit I think…_." Her thoughts on him as he shook her head for a moment and looked at her in a strain in his words slipping away.

"I will not question in your faith woman, but it is rare I can say in a human soul to find a balance in them in coming from two different places. This I will is why I think Aizen could never break your soul." Ulquiorra said it in a yielding tone, letting it drift on the winds and turning to walk away with his hands placed in his jean pockets to leave her alone.

Ripples of shock hit her in the way he had given her a complement in the insight of his break down of who she was in an arrow of truth. Smiling and trying not to giggle in his way of just casting out the truth. Looking back at the image of glass with a light bow of respect, her feet turned to a light run to catch up and keep in line with the lone man as the mother seemed too smiled more in the image in the frame of gold light in all love and truth.

* * *

Writer Note: So one more chapter down for now! Thought it would be nice to have a bit more background on "The Woman" given her coloring and such. Also have a bit more of a human event happen to our Emo is good for him and next is shopping…..

Run Run Ulquiorra…

Also thanks for the favs/follows/reviews! Also a shout out to: LD1545 (Guest) for their wonderful review! Helped me to get this one out!


	11. Gift

Warning: Cannons will OCCness so get over it.

Gift

"Touch has a memory."  
― John Keats

* * *

He watch, and waited and only followed the woman who had a spring to her step from store to store of cloths yet even puppy eying a dress for high heels or a purse she would look at the price and do something of a whine and mutter on price. Now this sort of behavior was he could see in many others of human female side of things in going in a nearly childish state mind over cloths or something that would label cute and make a high pitch noise enough to hurt his ears. In much the recall of recalling of when some of the lower ranked Arrancar would sneak to the human world and would come back from items of the human and acted much the same as their counter parts here. Seemed something's were crossed breed into all those of the female gender sadly.

So he would follow behind her for now, looking a bit lost and finding nothing of interest to watch but those of the humans, one of the few things he catch a fancy to where the young ones of many states of age and gender. Perhaps it was the innocent, the youth and newness to the world that caught the jade eyes of the pale male as he took the chance to lean on a wall in waiting for the woman to once more come back but watching them play in a little park and a few blowing bubbles into the clear air, capturing light and binding them to rainbows in the encompassing shape. Giggles and light laughs of delight and happiness pulled at something in the man, at his heart that beat in his chest and part of wish he why it touched him and never before.

Orihime had come back with one item brought on sale, a blue jean skirt long enough to her knees with a slight flare out and a jeweled sunflower on the side. Simple and feminine which somehow always fit her type of personality but what did silent her heart was watching her very human motion watching the children just out the window with a look she could not define in the moment but a passing of longing and questions if anything.

Putting the smile back on, she held the bag and walked up, "Ulquiorra-san, the Black Cat Bouquets should be open by now. It's the best to find clothing for a good low price even if it's used!"

Glancing between the strands of black bangs he spoke in the same monotone voice as he did most of the day, "Then why did you bring me around all these shops only to buy one item? What's the point?"

"Just to look and I got something too ya know!" Orihime spoke out, face pinched a bit.

"What is it?"

Smiling, she winked at him and pulled out a book: The Lost Wolves of Japan by Brett L. Walker. His eyes did widen a moment in grasping the book with long fingers that still looked soft but far bigger then her hands. His finger tips lightly brushed hers' for the moment and they felt very warm and very human as she blushed a moment in letting the book go. Strange was the look on the man's face in something akin to child like, it was the first gift that he had been given and not asked for anything in return. Yet did she know that? No but Orihime was that kind of gentle soul who did things without asking.

Placing her hands behind her back and just the grace of a simple smile graced her lips in seeing his reaction to just a book brought a flutter to her heart but for now it would be put away till it would come back.

Ulquiorra touched the book, feeling the smooth binding and a unsure feeling in this gut for the first time. Basic manners called for a sound thank you of the voice and a look of gratefulness that many humans would so but he was not all human still in his mind set. Just to turn to look at the kids playing in the care free way with a softer tone then he might have used, "Thank you."

Enough was said in two simple words to make her smile in a soft way, "You're welcome! Now let's out and get you some cloths! Reece-san should be back by now!"

Blinking a touch as he could only follow the humming energy of Orihime did he hold the book a touch tighter? Why would she not only give him a place to stay, take him in and now give a gift? He could only shake his head all the more in the muddle of things that when he had thought in his study of the human race before hand and before his death that this single female broke the mold on everything he thought he knew.

"What are you woman? Given everything this world and the next have done to you? To have this kindness and understanding is not normal for a human." His thoughts lay in a scattered line, "You are a conundrum as much as me coming back in this life such as I have…"

Orihime just lead the way with out having to glance back but feeling his aura close by, a mix of question and uneasiness but an echo of a storm still building. Ulquiorra made her uneasy, given their history with the Winter War and his very creation had been labeled a sin by the shinigami of existing but the seed of him had been human, the seeds of all shinigami or hollow were the human soul itself. Yet no one could see or speak of that common ground and one of the few times she had with Ichigo had come in a fight between the two friends with weeks of no chatting in any form. One of the few who had agreed in the twist of things had been Rukia and in being a shinigami.

Just a glance back, the jade eyes of her guest seemed shaded over in a sea of thoughts he would not voice to her but to see human feelings in those depths with his long hair in frame around the shapely features of his face in a balance of handsome and beauty caught her and made her blush. If the devil had returned to earth in flesh, this would be how he would look. Yes Orihime was use to good looking and shapely men in many having been her friend but maybe due to his darker past and the newness of him caught her in the weird way.

Walking, none of them spoke for a bit but soon a sign with an outline of a black cat with its tail forming a B on a white background pulled them into a view which in seeing the open sign had been flipped made her smile.

"Looks like he's back at last! I promise you can pick what you want ok Ulquiorra-san! Just let's please stick to basic for like three pants and four shirts for now! Maybe a jacket when the weather turns? It's going to get colder and then maybe we can try to find that grave yard you woke up in?" Orihime said, bright and cheery.

Casting up and eyes clear of any thoughts and calm as before, he did a tiny sneer in having the human female telling him how he would shop and get what but in this ring: she had the money.

"As you wish woman for now."

Raising a brow with a light hmmmm sound, Orihime caught the light challenged in his voice but let it drop. Shaking her head and walking into the store in the ring of a classical bell sound. Many racks and range of cloths from high end prep to the gothic class and those between filled a shopper's gaze in the back drop of soft music. Scents of lavender lightly preformed the air just in the touch of elegance. This was a shop for all to cater for all and Orihime loved it here and the man who ran it.

"Princess! You look lovely as always! "A man called out, tall but a swimmer in lean built and movement with blond hair and a hooked nose with auburn eyes shining. He had spoken in truthful English in walking over and grasping Orihime's hand lightly placing a kiss on it.

Giggling and blushing to the rose pink on her cheeks, Orihime only smiled brightly and bashfully while for the moment Ulquiorra felt that darker nature in him growl and flare. The woman was his for now and his only connection to this world! How dare this weak and puny man touch! Hollows by nature had a high _possessive_ nature and it was still in much of the very human Ulquiorra that it also very much part of his soul and mind set. Swallowing the need to make him more known, he let it go in a deep breath to settle and took a bit of strong ah hum voiced.

"Oh Reece-sama, this is my aha um friend, he's from out of town! " Orihime battled, looking at her sandaled feet.

The man looked at the lean form of the other and raised an eye brow in seeing something nearly animal like flash in those green orbs and hard edged lips pressed. "Seems the little princess found a man….." he mused with this insight. "Bout time too…"

"Take it easy friend, I may do a flirt with the gals but I swing for the other team." Reece smiled in charming tone to speak in Japanese.

"Swing for the other team?" Ulquiorra bluntly had to ask, eyes still narrows and moving a touch closer to the woman to make a point.

Reece and Orihime both looked at the other before the full burst of laughter filled the air of the shop, leaving a very puzzled man on the spot. "Is there something funny on the question Orihime?"

Deadly, his tone made them both stop but a look on shock on the female's face only made her laughter hard in grabbing her tummy and having tears form on the edge of her eyes only Reece leaned on a pole in shaking the mop of blond hair.

"Oh boy, princcess-chan where did you find him? He is just grand! But to clear the air a bit my friend and just for you!" Reece stood up, burgundy in face from laughter and eyes shinning. "I like men, which if this had not happened I would love to be checking you out at the counter…"

It took a moment or two as his jade eyes narrowed and the tear marks pale moved a moment in a tilt to his head and the dots being made in a line of connection having heard of such a thing of humans liking their own gender. Then eying the man and seeing how he was giving a slow look with a touch of lust under his scent also hit a home run for the former hollow in taking a step back with a weary look at the man and moving behind his female shield from those lusty eyes.

Reece liked some how the effect it put for Orihime's friend to go from _possessive _to seeking aid from the lovely girl with a rich smile and hands on his hips, "Well now that the fun is done. Princess-chan sent me a text on what you need my poor lost friend. Let Reece show you his art!"

Ulquiorra felt one thing he had not felt since the fight with Ichigo in eying this man and more than he might have with Aizen: Fear.

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Writer Note: Well that is it for now, the shopping shall be done and our poor is going to play dress up while Orihime might think this is some good pay back! Mahahah. If you have idea's for outfits for our poor soul just send them in! Next Chap will be one more short then the one after a bit more drama flavor…..

Other notes and bold: **I need a Cover Art for Bitter Ashes and if there is anyone who would do this I would love you! And would write a fanfic/one shot for you in turn of a image you have made in trade! Just send me a pm here or a review! Thanks again!**


	12. Walking the Past

Remember me when I am gone away,

Gone far away into the silent land;

When you can no more hold me by the hand,

Christina Georgina Rossetti-Remember

Finding the Way.

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If his eyes could have been laser beams to burn holes though her back as the pair walked out of the Black Cat after entering into it for an hour in a half, Inoue was only trying to giggle as they had left with Reese blowing a few kisses at the poor Ulquiorra who now donned a new pair of loose black jeans with a light gray t-shirt with an outline of New City and a loose deep gray long sleeved to keep the layers but simple.

Both held items from the shopping of the male who also had on a pair of black high tops a bit with bright green laces in a neat bow. The neon green had been her idea and Reese had jumped on it with Ulquiorra glaring at all the more. It might have been hard for a normal passer by to tell if the handsome youth was glaring but Orihime was learning when his eye brows got a bit heavy and eyes narrow just enough to make a hint of a wrinkle. His upper lower lip would flatten out much and something in the way hard to say but she could tell.

No words had been said, no back and forth but she was in a better mood in humming under her breath and feeling a bit smug that someone had put Ulquiorra in his place so to speak and man did it feel good to have a upper hand on this day.

Reese had given her a grand discount she had gotten a baby blue blouse and a new pair of jeans with a bit of torn look but the back design on butt had been butterflies in white jewels and sparkles. Nuff for her for a bit of shopping and the pair now walk through the thongs of people to her home for now.

Glancing back, he was still glaring at her but she did feel a touch bad in leaving him alone with Reese,"Maybe we could stop for ice cream? I don't think he has had any before and it make him less of a grumpy pants..."

Even as the pair walked and took a turn down a short ally way, Ulquiorra had been plotting her down full and torture once they got behind a closed door and lock. Many a graphic and bloody images gave the poor male some echo of saturation but when they walked into the ally way. Ulquiorra only stopped dead in this tracks in looking between the buildings and hearing the zooming of the cars and voices of passengers by.

The mind's eye flashed for a moment in switching the light more to twilight and the skies gray and bleeding into the other. Rain would have made the stone darker in tone and texture. The air would have been damp, smelling of dank concrete and rain.

"Woman."

Blunt and right to point as he would speak, she stopped in her day dreams of ninja monkeys to have his voice break. Everything in his body was still, single in standing as the lean man had locket his jade eyes down an ally way but something in the air around him was tense.

"I walked this way to you're place after waking up in the grave yard." Ulquiorra voice was softer, misplace in his normal tone but it was a revolution in his missing memories in the blur of pain and the darken rainy day he had woke up as a normal human.

She felt a wave of shock in this turn of events in the playful day that filled her with a new insight in the solemn man but the young healer walked up slowly, close enough in an arms grab to look down the ally and a thoughtful look in her own eyes. If he had walked this ally than re-walking in those foot steps might lead to something of an answer. Which in also if he had woken up in a grave yard what did that mean for him?

Could the grave stone have his name? Maybe Ulquiorra 's human name before he had passed away? Could he have still living family in this world? Would he remember his human life?

Floods of untamed thoughts filled both their minds in just standing in this place. It was a normal mundane ally way and had played a part to a murder ten years ago and even long before a Sovereign had held a parade in this same place before the city stood as it was in concrete and man made stone. In these two it had become clue to questions now lay spread.

Ulquiorra felt an odd dryness lace his mouth, his body like the stone, and sweat touching the skin from his hands and parts of his body. What kind of human reaction was he having? Nerves? Shock? Maybe fear even of the unknown? To much had hit him at once in just standing in this ally way between buildings. Here lay in the edge of the memories in this human life.

Orihime cast a long look at the man, he had become still like he would back in that Ashen hell but his chest would rise and fall and his jade eyes fulled to the point of pouring out with thoughts she dare not ask or push to know but there was a question.

What would they do now? It was the first clue they had, a trail to follow but would they take it. Ulquiorra looked lost, she finding it strange to see him like this but was he scared? An idea of the former number Four of Aizen's creations and a hollow. A man who had nearly killed Ichigo and ripped her world apart in a meeting of few words and less interactions than she might count on one hand.

Swallowing the limp in his adust throat, he was not one to run from any battle and it was not going to start now. "We are going to retrace my steps as best as I can recall. Do not talk or ask any questions and push me understand?"

There was no fight in her for this and as he looked at her, his eyes cat like and cold once more in finding her nodding and looking back and it was enough for him. Rolling his shoulders to get the muscles in the back to shift once more into place and the spine cracking.

Odd in pairing and how they had come to swing into the others lives in events of creation and destination like many an old story will go, brought once more into the other in a strange form of rebirth it was that they set out onto the ally way and down as he recalled in blurs and flashes, scents and sounds in the haze that had filter into his mind.

It was when they found themselves in the last few hours of the spring sun ducking behind the clouds of the rain. He looked to find himself along a simple road, lined with smaller houses and buildings from a long ago time of the Meiji era. Influence with the west coming into their the nation, it was a time of blending and change to Nippon. Which in this moments Ulquiorra was lost.

Narrowed eyes lingered in the length of shadows, brows heavy in the tension as the flicker of something he had felt before hit him: annoyances. The pulls and flashes in his mind had led him and the his component to this point but it all washed away once he turned the corner. Ulquiorra produced a growl nearly, deep in his throat and animal like some great cat in the jungles as a flash of fang in lips pulling back added to the frustrations turning into a all out rage.

How could he lose all control and turned away, pulling into the calm center of emptiness he always had but that center was gone.

"I can not remember any more..." He was blunt, left hand clench into a tight fist as he glared back and forth between the roads.

Orhime had while walking pulled out her smart phone, keeping track of what roads and paths they had taken but her whole focus was on the screen of the thing, "There are three graves yards in this place Ulquiorra -san."

All his anger fell for the moment, hearing her knowledge in a questionable glance as she looked up and even smirked a moment in his gaze, "I used my cell to keep track of where we walked and noted any graveyards we got close too. Given where we are and all, there are three and you had to come from one them. It just going to each to see which one sparks a flash or memory for you. Process of emulation as the says goes my dear Watson!"

So the woman could have brains, it was never Orihime lacked smarts or focus but how her bubbly like nature tended to think she was well, a blond. More than once she passed with A's an B's in her school time and did read a lot of books of her own choosing.

Gazing out a moment, he looked to the west and before she said anymore, took her phone. "We shall go to the one west of here, I think I came from that way."

Brightly smiling at him, Ulquiorra was once more surprised at the very nature of Orihime and felt a fleeting feeling of perhaps grateful for all she had done to this point. Turning, the pair looked to the west and set out to the first grave yard and hope of answers.

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Note: (author dies) OK I DID IT! A new chapter for Bitter Ashes is done at last so please do not kill me for not updating for so long. Freaking took me four rewrites to get this one done and feeling like I was happy with it! So enjoy, read and review! Thanks for all the views!


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